Tetra Tech provided specialist consultancy services for risk assessments, design, intervention, repair and upgrade of vehicle restraint systems for national road infrastructure, helping to keep roads safer.
In 2012/2013 Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) carried out an inventory gathering and condition assessment of Vehicle Restraint Systems (VRS) on the Local Authority-managed national road network. This exercise identified various locations where existing VRS were damaged, out of tolerance, or obsolete, and that interventions or upgrading works were required.
In 2014, TII appointed us to provide consultancy services to carry out risk assessments, design the intervention/repair/ upgrade work, and other related duties.
Challenge
Assessing and designing VRS solutions for hazard locations on the Local Authority-managed national road network, much of which is un-designed road, is a complex task due to the inevitable and various constraints which are present at the sides of such alignments. In some cases the hazards can be mitigated or removed, however in many cases a VRS is required. But usually there is not enough space or there are physical constraints which prevent a solution which is compliant with standards to be achieved. Deciding and detailing a compromised solution which achieves the best road safety benefits in such situations presents a huge challenge for all involved.
Solution
We successfully met this challenge by:
- Developing and providing expertise and best in class VRS design capabilities
- Providing a highly trained and experienced team of VRS designers who can cover locations across the entire national road network
- Backing up our VRS expertise with a multidisciplinary team comprising geotechnical, structural and road safety engineers
- Being up to date with and embracing innovation in the VRS industry from ground anchoring solutions to dynamic testing methods
- Consulting and working collaboratively with all Stakeholders including 19 Local Authorities, utility providers, VRS manufacturers, VRS installers, the Irish Barrier Association
- Providing input into national VRS design standards and specifications
Benefits
- 18 Local Authorities Tetra Tech has worked with directly in developing VRS solutions
- 41 dynamic tests carried out
- 128 push tests carried out
- 276 priority VRS repairs
- 2,208 linear metres of new VRS installed
- 4,387 linear metres of old VRS replaced
At a glance
Client
Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII)
Location
Ireland
Services
Contract administration, construction supervision, certification of installed systems, detailed design of VRS, including risk, hazard and site assessments, development of national VRS maintenance guidelines, input to national VRS design standards and specifications, preparation of contract documents, procurement, project supervisor for the design process (PSDP), stakeholder consultation
The project featured in this article was undertaken by RPS, A Tetra Tech Company and originally published on RPSgroup.com. In March 2026 RPS rebranded to Tetra Tech.